Saturday, 8 November 2014

News Release: Withdrawal Of Security Details From The Speaker Of The Federal House Of Representatives

Speaker Tambuwal

The Say No Campaign is a
nationwide campaign against growing level of Impunity and bad governance in
Nigeria, with Zonal Hubs and representation across the states of the
federation.

The Say No Campaign (SNC) is seriously concerned
with the contrived state of anarchy, political victimization and anomie playing
out in the environment. This may well be a dress rehearsal for 2015 general
elections. The rumble continues with personal ambition superseding the will of
the people. The outcome of setting a dry bush on fire can never be predicted. In all these, as ominous as the fact that our leaders who are
supposed to inspire hope, have themselves become a huge challenge to the rest
of us.

To be candid, SNC believes that impunity, just like any other
systemic rot, is a malady which flows from the top to the bottom. Now, the
country is awash with leaders who do not give a damn about anything. They do
not care about principles, about public opinion, about decorum;in fact, the
word “shame” is a total alien to our ruling class today. Needless to say, our
youths are negatively affected by this unsavory trend.

The SNC wishes to highlight the major
sore points that currently characterize the State of Political Impunity, and
which constitute potential or active dangers to the 2015 general elections

Activities
Of Security Institutions:

The
recent withdrawal of the security details attached to the speaker, House of
Representatives, Rt. Hon AminuTambuwal, ostensibly because of his defection
from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC) is
appalling, unfortunate and unconstitutional. No part of our constitution says
the Speaker of the House must come from the majority party. Section 50(1) only
says there shall be a speaker and a Deputy Speaker of the House, who shall be
elected by members from among themselves. The action of the Acting
Inspector-General of Police.Mr Suleiman Abba, in this matter is tantamount to
usurping the role of the judiciary, which is supposed to interpret the
Contentious Section 68(1)(g) of our constitution. The present trend where our
law is being applied selectively to achieve political interest/gain is
preposterous, and this must stop.

Recent
development has also shown that using the security institutions, particularly
the police as a tool to witch-hunt perceived political enemies is another
political impunity that must be addressed. It is not for the police to
interpret the constitution or house rules. This no doubt also reflects impunity
in the polity. This is considered another attempt to destabilize the polity and
provide room for some shenanigans in government to extend their evil rule. It
is worrisome to hear orders from some quarters asking the Members of the House
of Reps to defy resumption dates, this desperate moves must be checked.

Ceasefire Agreement Ruse with Insurgency:

The
recent statement by the Nigerian Government to have reached an agreement with
insurgents is now a confirmed ruse. A government with all military structure
and huge budgetary allocations annually cannot decipher what groups they have made contact
with, gather adequate intelligence before going public. This is an indictment
on the top military echelon in the military. It was another diversion for the
public to believe that government is working towards stability but as it is
evident the reverse is the case. The citizens have lost confidence in the
military and its capacity to respond to emergencies. Recent reports have it
that Nafada and Bajoga both in Gombe States are under serious attack and our
trained security men abandoned their weapons and fled. If you cannot tame a
group of “untrained” young men running around, how much more would you respond
to external threats? This is food for thought.

INEC, IDPs and Election in the North East:

Indications
are rife that electorates in some local governments in the North East taken
over by insurgents and declared as caliphates, elections are not likely going
to take place in those areas except something more positive happens.
Information also have it that voters card are done by proxy in very large
numbers, this is not the norm and an attempt to subvert the process. Also, what
provisions are underway for those in the IDP CAMPS?

Solidarity with the people of Burkina Faso:

We
cannot conclude this press briefing without extending our solidarity and that
of Nigerian citizens to the upright people of Burkina Faso In this period of
their National re-awakening. We commend them and solidarise with them for
taking the concrete steps, full of sacrifice and perseverance to throw off the
yoke of one impunity while continuing to insist that it should not be replaced
by another impunity.

We
recall with pride our own January uprising of 2012, support the people of
Burkina Faso in struggling to reclaim their humanity and dignity.

We
join them in affirming that their victory is born of their uprising and in no
case can it be confiscated by the Army. We thus join them in demanding the
immediate hand over of power by the army to a civilian led transitional
government made up of the organizations of the people who made the uprising,
and that will organize new elections.

The
Burkinabe Uprising is an inspiration to every people all over the world
fighting impunity; yet it is also a warning to every
would be usurper lurking in the dark shadows of the military, hoping to steal
the victory of a people.

Demands:

·That all
political leaders, particularly the leadership in the Senate should stop any
inflammatory statement hence forth that is likely to overheat the polity and
uphold the rule of law.

·

That the Police
should be more professional in deploying ‘orders from above’ and be careful not
to thwart democracy.

·

Deliberate
efforts should be put in place by the presidency and other stakeholders to
ensure that Peace and Security returns to the North East and Nigeria as a whole
and not to use the situation as an alibi towards reconsidering the elections.

·

That INEC should
begin to investigate the proxy collection of voters card activities going on in
the North Eastern states and sanction those involved in the process whilst
looking at strategy and approach towards ensuring that all parties including
those at the IDPs are not disenfranchised.

·

That the
Presidency should apply decorum in its involvements and meddling with states
affairs and allow the state assemblies function with less interference.